Dispenser for tablets



Dec. 3l,- 1940. a P. WARREN DISPENSER ROR TABLETS Filed July 14, 1939ATTORNEYS.

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Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 UNITED STATES DISPENSER FOR TABLETS Robert P.Warren, Kenilworth, lll., assign'or to Morton Salt Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 14, 1939, Serial No.284,436

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel and improved hand dispensing devicefor tablets, lozenges, pellets and the like, and consists of the mattershereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

'I'he object of the invention is to provide a hand dispensing devicewhich is of simple and economical construction. which is capable oiready and easy operation and which will positively deliver a singletablet or pellet at each operation of the device.

Another object oi the invention is to provide a hand dispensing devicewhich includes operative mechanism by means of which the tablets orpellets will be dispensed without breaking the tablets or pellets asthey are fed towards the discharge opening.

Y Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device ofthe kind in which the hand member by which the dispensing member isoperated may be manipulated in either direction to discharge a tablet orpellet.

'I'hese and other advantages of the invention will appear more fully asI proceed with my speciication.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved dispensing device.

Figure 2 is a vertical central section through the dispensing deviceshown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a view representing a cross-section through Figure 2` in aplane indicated by the line 3-3 oi' Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view representing a cross-section through Figure 2 in aplane indicated by the line Figure 5 is a partial vertical centralsection through the dispensing device.

Figure 6 is a partial `section similar to that shown in Figure 5,showing a modiiied form of the dispensing device.

Figure 'l is a view representing a vertical section through Figure 6 ina plane indicated by the line 'I-'l of Figure 6.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures1 to 5, inclusive, oi the drawing: I indicates a vertically elongatedtube which is the body of the dispensing device. Said tube is closed bya top cap Il, which is removably secured thereto in any convenientmanner, as by a close slip iit oi' the tube I0 in an annular groove I2in the cap. I3 indicates the bottom wall oi' the device. It consists ofa thick disc provided with a deep annular groove I4 in which is engagedthe bottom end of the tube I0 (as shown in Figure 2), and is removablysecured to said tube I0 in any convenient manner as by screws or thelike.

On top of said bottom wall I3 within the tube I0 is mounted a rotativedispensing member I5. This is preferably made of a rustproot material orcomposition. It is dome-shaped, with a at circular base I which restsupon the bottom wall I3, with an interposed anti-friction washer I'Ibetween the two. Said dispensing member 10 has a bottom, radiallyextending ilangevl, provided with equally, annularly spaced openings I9between. 'I'he ilange I8 is of substantially a depth equal to thediameter of the tablets to be dispensed; and the openings I9, closed atthe bottom by the bottom wall I3, provide pockets to receive the tabletswhich slide down from the dome of the dispenser into the space about thesame. 'I'he sides of the dome, as illustrated in Figure 2, are verticalfor a distance above the ilange I8 somewhat greater than the diameter oithe tablets.

20 indicates a verticalstud extending through the dispensing member I5and fixed thereto in any convenient manner. Said stud extends downwardlythrough an aperture in the bottom wall I3 and, as illustrated, through aplate 2| xed concentrically in a recess in said bottom wall I3. 22indicates a knurled thumb nut provided with a central bore through whichthe stud 20 depends. 'I'he stud 20 is reduced in diameter at its bottomend as indicated at 23 to correspond with a like reduction in the boreof the thumb nut 22 to provide a shoulder 24. An annular recess 25 isformed in the bottom of the thumb nut 22, and the reduced bottom end 23oi.' the stud 20 depends into said recess and is secured to the thumbnut by a nut 26 threaded upon said bottom reduced end 23 of the stud.

An indexing device is interposed between the operating member, namely,the knurled thumb nut 22, by means of which the openings I9 in theflange I8 oi the dispensing member may be positively brought into andarrested in succession in vertical position above a discharge opening 5in the bottom wall. As illustrated in the drawing, said indexing devicecomprises the following parts:

'I'he bottom wall I3 of the tubular body I0, or in this case the plate2| iixed therein, is provided on its bottom iace with annularly spacedrecesses 21 at angular intervals equal to the angular spacing of theopenings I9 in the flange I8 oi' the dispensing member I5. And thedischarge opening in the bottom wall I3, indicated at 29, Il

is in radial alignment '(see Figure 2) with one of said recesses 2li.

The thumb nut 22 is provided with a vertical recess 2t opening againstthe plate 2i at a point spaced radially from the stud 2i?) the same asthe .one of said recesses 21, with the associated opening I9 above thedischarge opening 29. This permits a tablet advanced by an opening I9 ofthe distributor to drop through the discharge opening 29.

By means of a set screw 28b taking through the thumb nut 22 against thestud 20, the vriwess containing the spring-controlled ball 29B may beadjusted to and held in the above described association with one of theopenings I9 in the flange IB of the distributing member.

30 indicates a guard member disposed above the discharge opening 29,with its bottom edge free of the flange I 9 on the dispensing member I5(see Figures 2, 3 and in dotted lines in Figure 5.) Said guard memberconsists of a` plate xed to the inner surface of the tubular body. Saidplate is of a thickness substantially equal to the width of the flangeI9 of the distributing member I5 and is of a horizontal width greaterthan the width oi' the discharge opening 29 in the bottom of thedispenser. It acts to block the space above the discharge opening 29 andto prevent the discharge of more than one tablet at each operation ofthe device.

The tube I0 above the dispensing member I5 has xed to it a ring 3|providing a diaphragm between the chamber surrounding the dispensingmember I5, namely, the dispensing chamber and the upper part of the tubeI0 which provides a reservoir for storage of tablets. The diaphragm ring3| is preferably triangular in cross-section, presenting a downwardlyand centrally inclined annular surface at the bottom of the reservoirfor directing the tablets from the reservoir to the dispensing chamberdownwardly and centrally towards the top of the dome-shaped distributingmember I5, whence they are delivered into the narrow annular space abovethe flange I8 defined by the said dome and the inner vertical wall ofthe tubular body I0.

'I'he space in the dispensing chamber immediately above the flange I 8is substantially equal to the thickness of the tablets so that thetablets are distributed first in the several openings I9, and then in anannular row riding `on the flange I8 and on the tops of the tablets thatare in the openings I9. For this reason the tablets are more readily andeasily delivered separately into the openings I9 in advance of theircoming to a position in vertical alignment above the discharge opening29.

In Figure 5 the guard 30 is shown in dotted lines with vertical straightedges. It may, and sometimes does, happen with a guard of this form,that a tablet, riding upon a tablet in an opening I9, may be caughtbetween the advancing rear edge of said opening I9 and the proximatevertical edge of said guard, and be broken as the tablet in said openingis advanced to register with the discharge opening. To obviate'andprevent this, it is preferred to make said edges inclined in thedirection in which the openings i9 are advancing, as indicated at 32.The other edge is also likewise inclined in the opposite direction, asindicated at tief-this, because as will be obvious, the index mechanismdescribed permits the knurled nut 22 to be rotated in either directionto operate the distributing member i5. By this construction, if a tabletbe caught between the following edge of an advancing opening I9 and theguard member, it will ride up on the inclined surface 32's or 32, as thecase may be, depending on which direction the operating member is beingrotated, as indicated by dotted lines at 33 in Figure 5.- As a result,breaking of tablets will be absolutely prevented.

In Figures 6 and '7 a somewhat modied form of the distributing member ofthe device is illustrated. In this case I5EL indicates the distributingmember. Said distributing member is otherwise formed and connected asbefore, (like numerals with the superscript a indicating like parts)with the exception that the dome is flatter and its vertical sidesmerely extend the depth of the flange I8". In this case the tablets willmerely slide down the dome and drop into the openings I9a without theaid of the narrow deep channel above the iiange I8a as in the firstcase.

34 indicates the guard disposed abovethe dis-V charge opening as before.In this case said guard consists oi' a plate secured to the side Wall ofthe tube IIJ having a flange 35 disposed above the discharge opening 29and inclined upwardly at cach end as indicated at 36, 36. In this case atablet riding upon a tablet in an opening I9al of the flange IIia willstrike one of the inclined wings 36, 36 of the guard andbeguided'towardsand moved upwardly on the more gently inclined slope of the dome of thedistributing member I5.

The operation of the improved dispenser and its advantages will beobvious from the foregoing description. One tablet only will bedischarged at each operation of the dispensing member. The knurled thumbnut may be turned in either direction to operate the dispensing memberto discharge a tablet. This is a great advantage, because one desiringto dispense a tablet from the device is just as apt to turn it one wayas the other.

The freedom from breakage of the tablets, due to the guard with theoppositely inclined edges, is another feature of importance, sinceA byreason of it the tablets when caught between the advancing edge of anopening I9 and the proximate edge of the guard will simply ride up onsaid guard without breaking.

Whileindescribing theinventionI havereferred to many`details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited thereto except as may be pointed out in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A tablet dispensing device comprising an upright tubular body havinga Vbottom Wall provided with a discharge opening adapted to discharge atablet edgewise, a dispensing member consisting of a dome-topped bodyprovided with a bottom flange having a plurality of radial teeth spacedto receive a tablet edgewise between them, said dispensing member beingrotatable on said bottom wall to bring the spaces between said teethsuccessively into register with said discharge opening, the dome-toppedbody of the dispensing member above said ange being formed to guide thetablets edgewise toward said ange.

and means for operating said dispensing member to arrest the same whenone of the spaces between the teeth in said flange is in register withsaid discharge opening.

2. A tablet dispensing device comprising an upright tubular body havinga bottom wall provided with a discharge opening adapted to discharge atablet edgewise, a dispensing member consisting of a dome-topped bodyprovided with a bottom ange approximating in depth the width of saidtablet when disposed edgewise and having a plurality of radial teethspaced to receive a tablet edgewise between them, said dispensing memberbeing rotatable on said bottom wall to bring the spaces between saidteeth successively into register with said discharge opening, thedome-topped body of the dispensing member above said flange being formedto guide the tablets edgewise toward said flange, and means foroperating said dispensing member to arrest the same when one of thespaces between the teeth in said iiange is in register with saiddischarge opening.

3. A tablet dispensing device comprising an upright tubular body havinga bottom wall provided with a discharge opening adapted to discharge atablet edgewise, a dispensing member consisting of a dome-topped bodyprovided with a bottom :dange having a plurality of radial teeth spacedto receive a tablet edgewise between them, said dispensing member beingrotatable on said bottom wall to bring the spaces between said teethsuccessively into register with said discharge opening, the dome-toppedbody of the dispensing member above said flange being formed to guidethe tablets edgewise toward said flange, means charge opening, and aguard member xed to said tubular body above said flange and in verticalalignment with said discharge opening.

4. \A tablet dispensing device comprising an upright tubular body havinga bottom wall provided with a discharge opening adapted to discharge atablet edgewise, a dispensing member consisting of a dome-topped bodyprovided with a bottom ange having a plurality of radial teeth spaced toreceive a tablet edgewise between them, said dispensing member beingrotatable on said bottom wall to bring the spaces between said teethsuccessively into register with said discharge opening, the dome-toppedbody of the dispensing member above said ange being formed to guide thetablets edgewise toward said ange, means for operating said dispensingmember to arrest the same when one of the spaces between the teeth insaid Iiange is in register with said discharge opening, and a guardmember xed to said tubular body above said ange and in verticalalignment with said discharge opening, said guard member having a sideinclined upwardly and in the direction of movement of said dispensingmember.

5. A tablet dispensing device comprising an upright tubular body havinga bottom wall provided with a discharge opening adapted to discharge atablet edgewise, a dispensing member consisting of a dome-topped bodyprovided with a bottom flange having a plurality of radial teeth spacedto receive a tablet edgewise between them,

said dispensing member being rotatable on saidy bottom wall to bring thespaces between said teeth successively into register with said dischargeopening, the dome-topped body of the dispensing member above said flangebeing formed to guide the tablets edgewise toward said iiange, means foroperating said dispensing member to arrest the same when one of thespaces between the teeth in said iiange is in register with saiddischarge opening, and a guard member fixed to said tubular body abovesaid iiange and in vertical alignment With said discharge opening, saidguard member having opposite sides inclined upwardly and towards eachother.

ROBERT P. WARREN.

